Pillars Of Smoke And The Ash Of Our Kin
by Lord Kristine
Summary: In the year 3018, society has advanced to the point of a fully integrated human-dinosaur society. Then, tragedy strikes.


**8:00**

A girl is playing in the schoolyard. She is not quite human, and she is not quite a dinosaur. She's something in between.

The other children are used to her. Her classmates are made up of similar creatures, some leaning closer to purebred human or dinosaur, but the majority are various hybrids. They tend to be friendly, but the girl is a bit of a loner. She sits alone on a swing, watching the wind blow orange leaves across the dirt. It's cold outside.

 _911: what is your emergency?_

 _Something's wrong. The plane isn't flying straight. Please, call somebody. I'm scared._

 **8:30**

An ankylosaurus is having his morning coffee. There is a message on his voicemail, but he doesn't listen to it. He's barely waking up from a deep sleep. A Rick-sleep, his wife calls it. He can sleep through anything. He slept through a fire alarm once. In the morning, he is extremely drowsy. That's why he waits to check his voicemail. It's probably just his wife checking up on things. She's left early morning messages once or twice before. It's nothing urgent.

 _Rick. Oh my god. Pick up the phone. Something is happening. I don't think the pilot is flying the plane anymore. We're too low. Phone me back. Hurry._

 **8:45**

A pentaceratops librarian is lapping up orange juice in a downtown cafe. She has her eye on a human man a few tables over. She saw him talking to a parasaurolophus the other day, so he must be into dinosaurs. Maybe she has a shot.

She stands up with shaky knees, wondering if she can calm herself before speaking to him. God, she'll look like an idiot. Maybe it's best to wait. But what if he doesn't come back? He hasn't been frequenting this establishment as much as he used to. This might be her last chance.

Her thoughts are cut short by the sound of an explosion. The impact is forceful enough to spill her orange juice. With wide eyes, she wheels around to figure out what's going on.

She sees smoke.

 _Rick?! Oh god! Something's about to happen! OH MY GOD! I LOVE YOU. I-_

 **8:46**

A raptor is caught just above where the plane hit. A few seconds ago, he was sitting in front of a crummy fan, but now the world is on fire. The building is crumbling away beneath him. It's like someone took a bite out of the floor. He sees a hand poking out from beneath a pile of rubble. It belongs to the man who rides the elevator with him on Fridays.

The fire is climbing. He bolts for the emergency exit, only to find that it's gone too. All that's left are three steps and a bent railing. Cars are stopping below. Whatever the building looks like now, it's enough to get their attention.

As the fire approaches, the raptor realizes he's trapped. There is no escape. He is faced with an impossible choice. He will soon burn to death.

The raptor steps closer to the edge, tie fluttering in the wind. There are papers spiraling through the air, some of them burning. He watches people filing out of their vehicles, fleeing the scene. It's getting warmer.

He looks back.

He looks down.

He jumps.

 _Hello, there's been an accident. Someone flew a plane too low. It crashed into the tower. I'm below the zone of impact. They're telling us to stay put. Please, send someone up to get us._

 **9:00**

Emergency crews arrive on the scene. Those who were directly above the explosion have already jumped. Ash is raining down on civilians. It's like breathing solid soot.

Firefighters begin the climb up countless flights of stairs. It isn't long before they realize that they can only go so far. Those who are above the point of impact are unreachable. They will have to be air-lifted out of the building.

No helicopter will come. The smoke is too thick. They are trapped.

 _Have they evacuated the thirtieth floor?_

 _What do you mean, you don't know?_

 _You goddamn tell me! My son is in there!_

 _Tell me if my son is okay!_

 **10:00**

Some have evacuated, others are still in the building. The sky is dark with ash and smoke. Dozens of bodies are being carried away on stretchers. Calls flood in and out of the building. As messages from the plane are received, an unsettling fact surfaces.

This was no accident.

 _No, listen: my wife was on the plane. She left me a message this morning. Did she make it? Is she with you? Please, just tell me!_

 **10:15**

It is confirmed that the plane crash was a purposeful attack. Various news channels update their stories. Some rumors are proven false. Others are true. Only those still trapped inside know what's really going on, and they're running out of time.

 _Millie, something's happened. I don't know if I'm going to make it. Whatever happens, know that your daddy loves you. Be strong. Everything is going to be okay. I love you. I love you . . ._

 **10:28**

The tower goes down. There are screams of terror. Those who entered the building to assist with the rescue efforts are killed. The final death toll is in the thousands. It is the single largest disaster to ever occur in the Capital. It will shape the years to come. In the chaos that ensues, only one thing is for certain.

Nothing will ever be the same.

Back at the playground, the lonely child is sitting on her swing again. She sees her teachers talking to each other.

They are trying to decide how to tell her that her father isn't coming home.


End file.
